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  Costa Rica : Profile

Facts

  • Costa Rica has coastlines on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, the latter being the more attractive for cruising.

  • The hilly interior and attractive capital San José can be visited from either Puntarenas or Limón. There are active volcanos, cloud forests, hot springs and an abundance of national parks.

  • The marina which is part of the Los Suenos Resort, a luxury development at Herradura, in the eastern part of the Gulf of Nicoya, is a good base from which to explore the country.

  • As with all of central and south America, keep your valuables under lock and key and be aware if travelling inland.

Security

The Caribbean Safety and Security Net (safetyandsecuritynet@gmail.com) gather information by anchorage or by island, so sailors can plan their cruising in the Caribbean with an eye to appropriate behaviour and precautions wherever they decide to go. Should you have information about a security incident, as well as contacting Noonsite please also forward details to the Caribbean Safety and Security Net, as theirs is the most comprehensive source of Caribbean security incidents against sailors on the net. Please be sure to include boat name, date of incident and anchorage/port where the incident took place.

Weather

The Pacific coast of Costa Rica is drier, while the Atlantic coast has heavy rainfall. Both coasts are hot and humid. December to April are the dry months, while May to November are wet, hot and humid. The east coast is under the influence of the NE trade winds during the winter months, but the west coast has light winds and often calms. Costa Rica is rarely affected by tropical storms.

Costa Rica Weather Forecast

Main Ports

Atlantic Coast:  Puerto Limon *

Pacific Coast:  Golfito * , Marina Papagayo * , Playa Herradura , Playa de Coco * , Puntarenas * , Quepos *

*Indicates a port of entry.

Related Reports

Costa Rica: Caution if Placing your Yacht in Bond (11 Jan 2012)

Planning to Cruise Central America? (11 Sep 2011)

Pacific Costa Rica - Recommendation for Marina Papagayo (26 Aug 2011)

Central America Ports: Panama to Mexico (18 May 2011)

Costa Rica – December 2010 (15 Feb 2011)

Costa Rica: Quepos - Armed Robbery of Boat at Anchor (20 Oct 2010)

Spanish for Cruisers - 2nd Edition (03 Jun 2010)

Bonding procedures in Costa Rica (01 Oct 2009)

Venezuela to Canada (15 Sep 2009)

Costa Rica Pirates – Cruisers Be Aware (21 Jan 2009)

USA, South Florida to Costa Rica  (15 May 2008)

Costa Rica Yacht Club Puntarenas Clearance Updates (06 May 2008)

Report On Costa Rica, Galapagos & Ecuador (29 Aug 2007)

Cruising Notes Costa Rica, Cocos Island (24 May 2005)

New expanded "Cruising Ports: Florida to California via Panama" now published (07 Jan 2003)

Attractions near to Los Suenos (02 Oct 2001)

Related News

Costa Rica: IGY Marinas Signs Management Agreement with Marina Papagayo (03 Jun 2011)

Costa Rica: Marine commerce facing threats by pirates on both coasts (09 May 2011)

Around the Americas - Sailing Expedition and Awareness Campaign (24 Oct 2008)

Costa Rica Tightens Procedure for Visiting Yachts (04 May 2002)





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